A tribute to late actor Nigel Hawthorne is to be staged at the National Theatre, the scene of one of his biggest triumphs.

Alan Bennett, Maureen Lipman and Charles Dance will be among those performing at the show, which take place on 6 June and will be free.

The new National director Nicholas Hytner worked with Hawthorne on The Madness of George III at the theatre before directing him in the following hit film.

Fans have been told they will just be able to turn up to the event, which has been described as "an extended celebration/memorial".

Sarandon and Robbins set for 11 September play

Hollywood couple Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins are expected to take roles in a play about 11 September at an intimate Dublin theatre.

The pair have agreed to appear in The Guys, about a fireman and a journalist who helps him write speeches to pay tribute to his colleagues, according to the Peacock Theatre.

"The commitment is there, both parties want this to happen, it's just the logistics of the dates and times which have to be worked out," Peacock director Ali Curran said.

The play, based on the experiences of journalism professor Anne Nelson, is also being made into a film starring Sigourney Weaver and Anthony LaPaglia.

Stage shows to close

The Elephant Man will end its run on Broadway on 9 June, just a week after the Tony Awards.

The show, which has had favourable reviews, is up for best actor in a play for Billy Crudup and best featured actress in a play for Kate Burton.

And in London's West End, the revival of Daisy Pulls It Off will shut on 8 June, after playing to half-full houses despite good reviews.

The producers blamed the proliferation of Hollywood stars in other West End productions for the end of the boarding school spoof.

Castaway accepts BBC apology

A contestant on the BBC Castaway programme has accepted a libel payout and apology from the corporation over a scene which gave the false impression he had been violent.

Ron Copsey, one of 36 people sent to a remote Scottish island for the show Castaway 2000, accepted £16,000 from the BBC and independent production company Lion Television.

He is thought to be the first reality TV contestant in Britain to take legal action over the way he was portrayed on screen.

His lawyer David Price told Judge David Eady at London's High Court that a voice-over wrongly suggested Copsey had thrown a chair at fellow contestant Julie Lowe after a row.

All sides involved in the dispute agreed terms last week and the case was closed in the High Court on Monday.

Bond actor on football mission

Former James Bond actor Roger Moore is to attend the World Cup opening ceremony in South Korea as Seoul's goodwill ambassador.

Moore, who is also an ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), will go on a boat ride on the Han River with children from 50 different countries on Thursday to celebrate the launch of the tournament on Friday.

Unicef and FIFA have dedicated this year's World Cup to children.

South Korea and Japan are co-hosts of the 2002 World Cup.

BBC celebrates McCartney's 60th birthday

The BBC is to celebrate Sir Paul McCartney's 60th birthday with a special BBC One documentary about the ex-Beatle.

U2 star Bono, Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Cilla Black and Mike Myers are among those who pay tribute to the influence of his music.

There's Only One Paul McCartney will be shown at 2200 BST on 2 June, 16 days before his actual birthday.

Sir Paul's birthday is also being celebrated on the radio by the BBC World Service, with a new series beginning 1 June.